December 19th, 2016, I remember standing in front of a huge Buddhist Monastery’s iron gates in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Lord spoke to me about sharing the Gospel with these beautiful baldheaded girls, that were enslaved behind the walls. This gate was “supposed to be locked,” but was supernaturally unlocked and cracked, whispering for me to enter. Need I also mention, the sign that was plainly plastered in crimson letters, “DO NOT ENTER.”
Parallel waves of courage and fear flooded my body. My mind and heart were at enmity with all the natural signs of disobedience to the law. But then, we see Jesus going against all LAW at times in scripture, to see the kingdom manifest. I had never been faced, to that degree, with my “YES! God I’ll do anything or go anywhere,” and have FEAR grip my flesh, almost aborting the very call on my life at that moment.
I truly believe that through intimacy with Holy Spirit we CAN find a place of yielded flesh through LOVE. There is a place, even when the flesh is trembling, in which ALL FEAR disappears, a place where we become WILLING to do ANYTHING and GO ANYWHERE for love’s sake.
Unfortunately, many believers have the wrong concept of courage. The enemy has fed us a lie that says courage means being without fear. The lie says that if we struggle with fear then we are not courageous people. That is absolutely not true. All of us, even the most courageous among us have to deal with fears. On the contrary, courage means acknowledging our fear, turning it over to God, and pressing ahead in spite of it. Courage means to regard the mission as more powerful and worthwhile, than the fear that would keep us from it.
1 Corinthians 1:27-28 TPT “But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent”
See, I’m a hairdresser of almost fourteen years; no theological seminary, and No Ph.D. Outside of the empowerment of Holy Spirit, I honestly have nothing from the worldly viewpoint. All I truly have is my fully surrendered life, and “YES!” to Jesus!
I know some of you have carried prophetic words, visions, and dreams for years, and yet have never stepped into them because they seem too costly, too foolish, or too impossible out of fear. Some are feeling not “prepared” enough, and afraid of others, with what God told them to do, because of being held responsible, for acting on His words. Yes, there may be a steep price for what God has placed inside you, but if you REALLY want HIM, you will CHOOSE to pay it, emptying your savings with COURAGE, even if you are afraid! I hear Jesus saying, what are YOU going to do? Will you bear the possible reproach and persecution, and carry to full-term what God put inside of you, even if you are trembling?
Trembling, I was trembling. I snuck between those ancient gates with zero idea what I would face. I slowly walked upon the olive-colored dust. The place seemed abandoned until I turn a corner and was met with five young new Buddhist monks. They were trembling too. They just arrived from India because their families couldn’t take care of them anymore.
Right there, everyone was met with love through my courage. I lost all sense of fear because I KNEW I was doing what the Father predestined. The Holy Spirit came upon me with power as the book of Acts speaks. I shared the Gospel, and after they all wanted prayer! Two of them witnessed physical healings. A seed was planted that day and still is being watered.
Today, let COURAGE arise out of the security of knowing who God is, and who we are through knowing Him! We can take courage in Jesus, because of His indwelling presence in us, through the Holy Spirit. By ourselves, we are weak and can do nothing. But because He dwells in us, we have HIS power, wisdom, and COURAGE to bring to pass all that He created us for. Now step through those gates, and watch the kingdom advance!
Brought up in a family of ministerial pioneers and traveling educators, Lydia has always felt born to run. The eldest of six siblings, she naturally took on the role of a leader, developing wisdom and skills to nurture from a young age. In 2011, Lydia’s life was radically transformed after a dramatic encounter with the Holy Spirt. She was instantly delivered of an addiction to alcohol, going from daily use to without a drop for years continuing. In subsequent months, God healed her of significant emotional scars from a broken marriage and divorce. By the grace of God, at this time she also received a confirmed call to prophetic ministry. Today, Lydia serves as co-founder and prophetic leader at The Loft Church in Herrin, IL. After graduating “Youth With a Mission” (YWAM) and “Iris Global Harvest School” she often travels to nations, passionate about winning souls and setting captives free. Lydia feels God has assigned her especially to be a catalyst for revival in the region of Southern Illinois and surrounding states. .
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